How to choose your perfume: the complete guide
Choosing a perfume isn't about trends — it's about your skin, your occasions and your taste. Here's a simple method to find the right one, with no regrets.
Start with olfactory families
Every perfume belongs to a family: citrus (fresh and sparkling), floral (from rose to jasmine), woody (warm, with sandalwood and cedar), oriental or amber (enveloping, with vanilla and spices), fougère (aromatic, typical of classic masculine scents) and chypre (elegant, with bergamot and patchouli).
If a perfume you love belongs to one family, chances are you'll enjoy its 'relatives' too. Finding your favourite family instantly narrows the search from thousands of fragrances to a few dozen.
Understand concentrations
The same fragrance comes in different strengths: eau de toilette (EDT) is lighter and lasts 3-5 hours; eau de parfum (EDP) is more intense and lasts 6-8 hours; extrait de parfum is the most concentrated and persistent.
Higher concentration means a higher price — but you don't always need it: for the office or summer an EDT is often the better choice, while an EDP shines in the evening and in colder months.
Test on skin, not on paper
Blotter strips are fine for a first screening, but the verdict comes from your skin: body heat and pH genuinely change how a fragrance smells.
Spray on your wrist, don't rub, and wait at least half an hour: top notes (the first 15 minutes) fade, leaving the heart and base notes you'll actually live with for hours. Never judge more than three perfumes in one session — your nose tires quickly.
Think seasons and occasions
Heat amplifies fragrance: in summer, citrus, aquatic notes and tea work best; in winter you can be bolder with amber, woods and vanilla. One perfume 'for everything' is rare: many people prefer a minimal wardrobe of two — one fresh, one enveloping.
Consider the occasion too: subtle trails are better for the office; evenings allow something more present.
The most common mistakes
Buying at first sniff, without waiting for the drydown. Trusting reviews alone: someone else's perfect scent can be wrong on you. Overlooking small bottles: a 30 ml costs less and tells you whether the love lasts before you invest in the big format.
One last tip: prices for the exact same perfume vary a lot from store to store. Always compare offers before buying — that's precisely what we do here at Elysvera.